Melinda Ickes received her Ph.D. from the University of Cincinnati in 2010. She is currently the  Assistant Dean of Research for the College of Education and Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion. She also has a joint appointment in the College of Nursing where she serves as the Co-Director of the Tobacco Policy Research Program of the BREATHE (Bridging Research Efforts and Advocacy Toward Healthy Environments) research team. She serves as Director of the AppalTRuST Career Enhancement Core, a center focused on tobacco regulatory science.

As a University of Kentucky Research Professor, Dr. Ickes has extensive experience in college and youth health promotion, including tobacco prevention, and has worked with university and community partners to reduce the prevalence of emerging tobacco products among at-risk youth and young adults. Through state and national funding, the #iCANendthetrend initiative has reached nearly 20,000 Kentucky youth to support reduced tobacco use initiation.

Her research interests also go beyond tobacco control, including community-engaged research, youth empowerment, health equity in substance use prevention, and evidence-based program planning and evaluation.

Dr. Ickes serves as the Health Promotion Program Faculty Chair and Director of the Graduate Certificate in Health Coaching. She has taught a variety of specialized undergraduate and graduate courses in health promotion including Human Health and Wellness, Program Planning, Health Promotion and Behavior Change, College Health Promotion, Community Organizing and Health Promotion, and Worksite Wellness